Reenforced collapsible file casing



1936; s. SCHEINMAN REENFORCED COLLAPSIBLE FILE CASING Filed May 16, 19362 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

6- s. SCHEINMAN REENFORCED COLLAPSIBLE FILE CASING Filed May 16, 1936 2Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UETE ST :1.

Claims.

This invention relates to the fabrication of receptacles, especially offiling equipment, including transfer or storage files, suitable forreceiving and storing correspondence and other papers and articles, andmore particularly of filing equipment of the drawer and casing typewhich is supplied to the user in knocked-down or collapsed condition, tobe erected and assembled by him for use.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a filingreceptacle of the general character of that disclosed and claimed in thecopending application of S01 Scheinman and Jacob Mandel Serial No.17,218, filed April 19, 1935 and equipped with improved reenforcingdevices for the collapsible casing. The receptacle which constitutes thesubject-matter of the present application has in common with that of theearlier application the characteristic formation of the components ofthe receptacle out of inexpensive materials, primarily corrugated paperboard, reenforced with sheet metal at certain limited areas, combined innovel forms which provide the advantages of paper board, namelylightness and inexpensiveness, with the strength, durability,fire-proofness and neat appearance of sheet metal.

A further object of the present invention wherein it is differentiatedfrom the disclosure of the earlier application, comprises the provision,in a collapsible file casing constructed essentially of corrugated orother paper board, of a rigid front frame and a similar rigid rear-endframe which distribute between them the load on the casing; It is astill further object of the invention to provide a front end reenforcingframe for collapsible file casings which is rigid and provides a neatmetallic facing for the front edges of the casing, and is permanentlyattached to the body of the casing in hinged relation. In particular, itis an object of the invention to provide front and rear reenforcingframes, each joined swingingly, and more or less permanently, along oneedge, to an adjacent edge of the paperwall structure, and each adaptedto be swung outwardly therefrom in an arcuate path to clear the casing.These front and rear end members are so disposed that when they areswung away from the ends of the casing, andwhile theyremain attached tothe casing, the casing walls can be collapsed into more or less fiatcondition, whereby the entire structure including the side walls, thetop and bottom walls and the end frames will occupy substantially asingle plane, for convenience in accumulating a quantity of thecollapsed devices, and for transportation and storage thereof prior touse.

The invention accordingly contemplates the provision of a file structurewhich is composed essentially of paper, but wherein the stresses are alltaken up by rigid, continuous metal frames, the paper material havingsumcient bulk for anchoring the metallic parts and being in generalstressed only in the directions of its maximum strength.

In supplement of each of the objects comprised within the purview of thepresent invention. as summarized above, it is an underlying purpose ofthe idea of means herein disclosed to eliminate to the maximum possibleextent all destructive and distorting stresses upon the paper componentsof' my novel file receptacle structure, while realizing to an optimumextent the already recited advantages accruing from the utilization ofpaper as a preponderant structural component.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription of the particular physical embodiment selected forillustration and disclosure of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference have beenapplied to the corresponding parts throughout the several views; in saiddrawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a filing receptacle including a casingelement constructed in accordance with the invention and a drawerelement cooperating therewith;

Fig. 2 shows the casing in the collapsed or knocked-down conditionthereof;

Fig. 3 illustrates a fragmentary detail View in central, verticalsection of the rear-end construction of the casing;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the front end of the casing; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of front end frame.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, I have included a casingelement designated generally by the reference character C, and which ismade from a blank B of suitable nonmetallic material, such as acorrugated paper board, the

top panel 23. The scored grooves c extend along, and define, three ofthe longitudinal edges of the casing, and the fourth edge is defined bythe lengthwise joint 25 between the bottom panel 2| and the side panel24. A strip of adhesive paper or cloth 26 is provided to complete thisjoint, preferably overlapping adjacent marginal portions of the walls 2!and 24. The strip serves as a hinge along the joint 25 when the casingis to be folded flat, as in Fig. 2.

The rear end of the casing C, when erected, is closed by a rectangularpanel 21 which is preferably formed of sheet metal, being provided alongeach of its four sides with a flange or channel 28, 29, 30, 3|, each ofthe channels being of U-shape in cross-section, and each adapted toreceive and serve as a binding or protector for an adjacent edge of oneof the panels 2l-24, when the casing is in its erected position, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3, while at the same time stiffening the rear paneland enabling it to receive large loads, such as the weight of a numberof files positioned above it, without distortion or buckling.

The flanges impart a high degree of rigidity to the end panel 21, andthe latter serves as a means by which the various walls of the casingwill be held in the relative positions occupied by them as shown in Fig.1 when the casing has been erected from the flat, knocked-down conditionshown in Fig. 2, which latter is, of course, the most convenient formfor storage and for transportation.

The rear end wall or panel 21 is adapted to swing downward to theposition illustrated in Fig. 2 in plan, and shown in fragmentary detailon a larger scale and in dotted lines in Fig. 6, wherein the flange 28is riveted, as at 32, permanently to the edge 33 of the bottom panel 2|,the flexible character of the corrugated paper board of which the panelis composed being utilized by me to provide a flexible hinged connectionalong the line 34 (see Fig. 3) It will be understood that thechannel-shaped ends 29, 30 and 3| are not connected to the respectiveends of the side walls 22, 23 and 24, or only temporarily to permitready collapse of the casing. As will readily be understood, theconnecting portions between the bottom wall and the side walls areslitted at the rear of the casing, preferably in line with the scoringsfor a suficient distance to permit the end panel 2'! to be swungdownwardly as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to provide a more secure fastening of the end panel 27 to theabutting edges of the panel walls, I have afiixed to the top surface ofthe uppermost panel 23 a metal clip 35 of relatively rigidmaterial-sheet metal in the instance shownformed with an upwardly offsettongue 36 (see Fig. 3), which projects into position to spring into acomplemental orifice 31 with which the top flange 30 of the end panel isprovided. When so engaged, the end panel 21 is held firmly in place andacts in turn to grip firmly the rear edges of the side and top panels ofthe casing, holding them in accurate quadrilateral relationship, and atthe same time providing them with an effective binding, as best seen inFigs. 1 and 3.

A similar reenforcing frame is provided by me at the forward end of thecasing, with the important difference, however, that as this end must beopen to receive the drawer D, it has no such central web of sheet metalas exists in the rearend element 21.

The front frame F comprises a continuous, rigid, sheet metal channelmember 39 of channel or U-shape in cross-section, the frame sections 4|,42 and 43 being adapted to fit snugly upon and receive the front endedges of the top panel 23, and the side panels 22 and 24. With thisframe is associated a binding strip 40 which is permanently secured, asby rivets 32 (Fig. 4), to the forward edge 44 of the bottom panel 2|.

Within the channel strip 43 is confined one leg 45 of a rigidquadrangular wire loop of which the other three sides 46, 4?, and 48 arerespectively fitted permanently, as by welding or soldering, or evenfrictionally within the side and top fianges of the frame F, reenforcingthe latter to a very great extent, especially at the corners. The lowerleg 45 is revolubly disposed in the binding strip 40, so that the frameF, when the casing is to be knocked down, can be swung downward throughan arcuate path, around the wire 45 as a pintle, into the position shownin Fig. 2, where it lies in the general plane occupied by the flattenedcasing structure, being entirely out of the way of the panel componentsas they are being folded down. It is, however, in proper position to bereadily swung upwardfloy a reversal of the above recited procedure, whenthe casing is to be i e-erected, as will be readily understood from theforegoing disclosure. It will be seen that the frame F, like the rearwall 2?, is a normally permanent and inseparable part of the casing, thewhole forming a single, unitary structure.

The frame F has in its top section an orifice 31 (see Figs. 1 and 4),adapted to be entered by a tongue 36, formed on a clip 35 secured to theforward edge of the top panel 23 and operating to hold the frame F inplace, in a manner similar to the securing of the rear end member 2? inplace at the other end of the casing.

The casing C constitutes, accordingly, a sturdy container, well adaptedfor its intended use, and is also capable of use in other applications.It will be noted that the casing is composed of a minimum number ofsections, all of simple configuration, and the assembly of the structurerequires only the most elementary of movements and can be accomplishedby persons of no particular mechanical aptitude and without elaborateinstructions.

It will also be noted that the swinging front frame F and the swingingrear-end panel 27 not only serve to reenforce the paper casing, butprevent fraying and wear of the edges of the casing, and maintain thesame in neat condition for an indefinite time. The locking devicesengage these metallic frames and they are thus securely held in placewithout strain or wear on the paper sections.

I have shown in the drawings a form of drawer element D which isprimarily designed for use in combination with a casing C of the typealready described, but which is also adapted for use in any field forwhich it is suited by the nature of my improvements.

The form of drawer element D selected for illustration is described indetail in my divisional application Serial No. 101,444, filed Sept. 18,1936, and comprises a body portion made preferably to a major extent ofa non-metallic material such as corrugated paper board, with a frontwall having an over-all facing 58 of sheet metal which is extendedaround the edges of the front wall portion of the body to form a metalbinding 5| along the interior surface of the front wall.

The side walls of the drawer element D are composed of sheet metalplates E9 which are secured, as by teeth punched out of the body ofsheet metal as shown at H, to paper side wall sections integral with thepaper bottom wall of thexdrawer. rThe'plates'fitiarerecessed at 63 so asto engage. and slide over. rollers and extension rails supported uponrollers fixed to the interior surfaceso-fthe side walls of the casing,as shown in'detail in the above-mentioned divisional application. Theupper portions of the plate 69 are bent to form loops 15 which receiverotatively U-shaped Wire members (not shown) which interlock with thefront and rear walls of the drawer to hold the walls of the drawer inerected condition. The casing is of course not limited in its use to thetype of drawer illustrated in the abovementioned divisional applicationas any other suitable drawer may be employed, for example; that shown inthe patent to Scheinman and Mandel No. 2,012,857.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a casingcomponent for a file structure which is characterized by simplicity,strength, lightness and inexpensiveness.

When a filing unit composed of such a casing element and complementaldrawer element is used either as a unit or in an assembly composed ofsimilar units, the effect producd is that of an all-metal unit orassembly, whether viewed from the front, or from the rear. Aspractically all of the edges of the receptacle are faced or lined withmetal, the neat appearance of the assembly is retained indefinitely.This effect is due in large part to the fact that the front frame 4! issmooth and continuous, especially at the corners 93. Moreover, thereceptacles are much more nearly fire-proof than files composed whollyof paper. The individual elements are lighter than all-metal elements ofequivalent capacity, and are less expensive to fabricate, both as tomaterial and to labor.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the front endreenforcing frame for the casing is-in the form of a rigid quadrilateralstructure whose four sides are each of channel crosssection, similar tothe frame shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The outer flange 94 is continuousand provides a smooth metallic facing, not only along the'walls, butalso at the corners. One of the sides of the frame ispermanentlyattached, as by rivets 32, to the front edge portion 96 of the bottomwall, such portion being separated from the side walls 22 and 24 byslits of suitable length, as indicated at 95, to enable the attachedframe to hinge upon the portion of the bottom wall adjoining theattached side of the frame. The frame may be held in its erectedcondition by one or more lugs or detents 36 projecting from plates 35secured to the front edge portions of the walls of the top and/or sidewalls and adapted to snap intoopenings 3? in the outer flange of theframe to hold the frame in the erected position and secured againstdis-engagement from the casing upon outward movement of the drawerelement. The frame; like that shown in Fig. 4, may be provided with alooped wire 48 secured to the interior of the frame and acting toincrease the rigidity thereof, particularly at the corners.

It will be noted that the frame in both embodiments of the inventioncomprises rigid members The knocked-down form of each element renders iteasy to transport in quantities, and as they occupy a minimum of space,they can be kept in stock in large quantities by dealers, or kept inreserve in offices where they are to be used eventually. If not needed,individual units can be knocked down easily, and the office space thussaved can be used for other desirable purposes, the. knocked-down unitsbeing kept for later expansion of the storage files.

It is to be noted that by my improved structure it is renderedunnecessaryfor a dealer to supply detached parts to a user to beassembled by him; the casing being, in its preferred form, a singleunitary structure.

It will be understood that suitable provision may be made for holdingvertical stacks and horizontal rows of the casings in proper alignment,as by means of sockets at the sides of the frame F and stacker elementsas shown in my copending application Ser. No. 65,037.

Variations from the specific constructions illustrated and described maybe resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

Thus, frame F could be entirely separate from.

the casing and be held in place on the erected casing by any suitableholding devices, such as the outer sides of the plate i l, the latterbeing suitably depressed where necessary.

I claim:

1. A collapsible file casing having hingedly con.- nected bottom, sideand top panels of paper material constituting when erected a tubularcontainer of rectangular outline, said casing having a quadrilateral,open, rigid, continuous, metallic front end frame engaging the front endedges of said panels to hold the latter in. their predetermined angularrelationship in the erected condition of the casing and adapted to takeup compressive loads on the casing, said frame being movable out of itsoperative position with relation to said panels toenable the casing tobe collapsed, and means for releasably securing the frame to the erectedcasing.

2. A collapsible file casing having hingedly connected bottom, side andtop panels of paper material constituting when erected a tubularcontainer of rectangular outline, said casing having a quadrilateral,open, rigid, continuous, metallic front end frame connected hingedlyalong one of its sides t an end portion of one of said panels, andmovable to engage and face the front end edges of the other panels inthe erected position of said casing and hold the panels in right-angularrelation, said end frame being adapted to be swung on said hinged sideaway from the edges of the other panels into a position in which it 00-cupies approximately the same plane as the panel to which it is attachedto enable the casing to be collapsed.

' 3. A collapsible casing as set forth in claim 15, wherein the frame ispermanently hinged to one of the walls of the casing.

4. A collapsible casing as set forth. in claim 15, including a metallicbinding strip secured to the bottom wall of the casing, and meanshingedly mounting the frame on the binding strip.

5. A collapsible file casing having hingedly connected bottom, side andtop panels of paper material constituting when erected a tubularcontainer of rectangular outline, a rigid metallic reenforcing end framehingedly connected at one side to an end edge of a panel at each end ofthe casing and movable into position to engage the end edges of thepanels in the erected condition of the casing to hold said panels intheir predetermined angular relationship, said end frames taking upcompressive loads on the casing and being swingable on their hingedsides away from the end edges of the other panels to enable the casingto be collapsed, and locking devices for holding the frames to saidother panels in the erected condition of the casing, the reenforcingframe at the front end of the casing being open for the reception of adrawer member.

6. A collapsible file casing having hingedly connected bottom, side andtop panels of paper material constituting when erected a tubularcontainer of rectangular outline, said casing having a quadrilateral,rigid, continuous, metallic front end frame engaging the front end edgesof said panels to hold the latter in their predetermined angularrelationship in the erected condition of the casing and adapted to takeup compressive loads on the casing, the sides of the frame being ofchannel cross section and receiving the panel edges within the channels,said frame being pivotally secured to one of the panels and beingmovable out of its operative position with relation to said panels toenable the casing to be collapsed.

7. A collapsible file casing comprising a rectangular shell ofnon-metallic material having top, bottom and side walls meeting at scorelines along which such walls are foldable to collapse or erect thecasing, and an open front end metallic frame for reenforcing the casingat the corners and for taking up compressive loads on said casing saidframe being pivotally associated with one of the walls of the casing andbeing movable into supporting engagement with the other walls in theirerected condition to hold the casing rigid and being disengageable fromsuch other walls to enable the casing to be collapsed, said framecomprising a continuous member having at least two side sections and aconnecting top section of channel cross-section for receivingtherewithin the forward marginal portions of the side and top walls,said frame sections overlapping and covering the forward marginalportions of the side and top walls of the casing and being continuous atthe corners so as to overlie the forward portions of the scored hingesbetweeen the top and side walls, whereby a continuous band of metalextends from approximately the bottom of the casing, exteriorly alongthe side of one side wall, along the top wall, and along the second sidewall.

8. A collapsible file casing adapted to receive a drawer member andhaving hingedly connected panels of paper material forming when erectedthe top, side and bottom walls of a tubular container of rectangularoutline, and a rigid reenforcing end frame hingedly connected to an endedge of a panel and movable into position to cooperate with thecorresponding end edges of other panels in the erected position of thecasing for holding the walls in their predetermined angularrelationship, said frame including sheet metal reenforcing portionsengaging the ends of the walls and also rigid angular portionspermanently connected to the first-mentioned portions at the corners andacting to hold the frame against collapse, said frame taking upcompressive loads on the casing and being hingedly movable out ofengagement with said other panels to enable the casing to be collapsed.

9. A collapsible file casing comprising integral paper panels formingthe top, side and bottom walls, said panels being divided by score linesalong which the panels are foldable to erect or collapse the casing, anda swinging reenforcing front end frame associated with the casing forholding the latter in erected condition and for taking up verticalstresses on the casing, said frame being formed as an open, unitarythreesided rectangular sheet-metal structure within which a drawer forsaid casing is adapted to be moved, said frame engaging the top and sidewalls of the casing in the erected condition of the latter and includingrigid portions at the corners thereof permanently secured to the sheetmetal portions of the frame to stiffen the same, said frame being shapedto fit upon the forward end portions of the panels in the erectedposition of said casing; a separately formed binding strip attached tothe bottom panel; and a fulcrum member attached to the frame androtatably mounted in said binding strip.

10. A collapsible file casing having hingedly connected paper panelsadapted to be erected to form right-angularly disposed top, side andbottom walls, and a rigid, open rectangular reinforcing framepermanently secured in hinged relation to the paper panels in thecollapsed condition of the casing and movable pivotally with relation tothe panels so as to be disposed at the front end of the erected casingin cooperating relation with the walls of the casing to hold the latterrigid and to take up vertical stresses thereon.

11. A collapsible file casing adapted to receive a drawer member andcomprising hingedly connected paper panels adapted to be erected fromthe collapsed condition to form right-angularly disposed top, side andbottom walls, and a reenforcing structure at the front end of thecasing, pivotally associated with the panels and comprising side, topand bottom members facing the front end portions of the walls of theerected casing, said structure including a rigid continuous loop elementinterengaging with said members and cooperating with said members tohold the walls of the casing rigidly in the erected rightangularcondition.

12. A collapsible file casing adapted to receive a drawer member andcomprising hingedly connected paper panels adapted to be erected fromthe collapsed condition to form right-angularly disposed top, side andbottom walls, and a reenforcing structure at the front end of thecasing, pivotally associated with the panels and comprising side, topand bottom members of channel cross-section receiving therewithin thefront end portions of the walls of the erected casing, and a rigidcontinuous loop element interengaging with said members and cooperatingwith said members to hold the walls of the casing rigidly in the erectedright-angular condition and to take up vertical stresses on the casing.

13. A collapsible file casing adapted to receive a drawer member andcomprising hingedly connected paper panels adapted to be erected fromthe collapsed condition to form right-angularly disposed top, side andbottom walls, and a reenforcing structure at the front end of the casingpermanently connected in hinged relation to the casing to form a unitarystructure therewith, said frame comprising side, top and bottom membersengaging the front end portions of the walls of the erected casing, anda relatively rigid continuous wire element interengaging with saidmembers and cooperating with said members to hold the walls of thecasing rigidly in the erected right-angular condition and to take upvertical stresses on the casing.

14. A filing receptacle of the class described including a collapsiblecasing element having hingedly connected panels constituting whenerected a tubular container of rectangular form, said casing beingprovided at its front end with a rigid, releasable integral framecomposed of sides which are channel-shaped in cross-section and areadapted to engage and receive front edge portions of the casing, and amember permanently secured to said sides and attached to the front edgeportion of one of the panels so as to enable said frame to hinge on saidpanel into and out of the erected condition to hold the casing rigidlyin such condition or to enable the casing to be collapsed, respectively.

15. A collapsible file casing comprising a rectangular shell ofnon-metallic material having top, bottom and side walls meeting at scorelines along which such walls are foldable to collapse or erect thecasing, a unitary, open front end metallic frame for reenfo-rcing thecasing at the corners and for taking up compressive loads on said casingand movable bodily to casing collapsing and casing erecting positions,said frame comprising a continuous sheet metal member having at leasttwoside sections and a connecting top section free of inwardly extendingprojections so as to be capable of snugly accommodating a drawer member,said sections overlapping and covering the forward marginal portions ofthe side and top walls of the casing and being continuous at the cornersso as to overlie the forward portions of the scored hinges between thetop and side walls, whereby a continuous band of metal extends fromapproximately the bottom of the casing, exteriorly along the side of oneside wall, along the top and along the second side wall, said frameincluding an angular member bridging the corners and secured to thesheet metal member to stiffen the frame at the corners, and means forsecuring the frame to the casing in the assembled, erected condition.

SOL SCHEINMAN.

